Library book truck



April 26, 1949. F. RIDER LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April26, 1945 IVENTOR April 26, 1949. v F RlDER I 2,468,513

LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1945 INVENTOR fO/VT RIDER April 1949- F. RIDER LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK Filed. April 26, 19454 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY IIIIIIIWIII:

F. RIDER LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK illll" 7 III {I April 26, 1949.

Filed April 26,. 1945 RIDER lNVENTOR MONT one place to another.

Patented Apr. 26, 1949 LIBRARY BOOK TRUCK Fremont Rider, Middletown,Conn., assignor to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation ofDelaware Application April 26, 1945, Serial No. 590,477

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a book truck, and it has particular referenceto the provision of a portable book carrier whose shelves are readilyaccessible in narrow runways, such as the aisles of library stack rooms.

The invention contemplates a novel and improved book truck having asubstantial shelf capacity for the books to be transported between thestacks and reading rooms of libraries; which is sturdy and rugged inconstruction to withstand the loads and strains placed upon it; whereinthe shelves are so arranged as to make tially along the line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a number of the pieces entering into theconstruction, so arranged as to illustrate the manner of assembly; and,

Figs. 4, and 6 are sections taken respectively on the lines 4-4, 5-5 and6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring first to Figs. 1, generally comprises a base structure llprovided with casters l2, shelf sections l3 opening toward the ends ofthe truck, and side sections [4 which support and brace the shelfsections, and moreover may provide grips for moving the truck from Itwill be noted that the shelves face toward the open ends of the truck,thus making the books readily available even though the sides of thetruck may closely approach the outer faces of opposed book stacks.

The base section II comprises a deck panel formed of side rails I5 andend pieces l6 which enclose a central platform 11 whose ends may bespaced from the end pieces, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The side railsl5 are duplicate pieces, each being formed with a groove l8 adapted toreceive tongues l9 formed on the end pieces l5 and platform l1. Theseparts may be readily cut on conventional woodworking machinery to closetolerances, and may be assembled by gluing the joints to provide aunitary structure. Each corner of the deck is provided with an anchorblock 2| having an inclined upper surface. Each anchor block 2| issecured to the end portions [5 by screws 22 entering from the under sideof the deck, and therefore blind to the observer. The casters l2 aremounted under the deck by any suitable means, such as the headed screws23, and as these casters may be of any desired construction, they neednot be further described.

2 and 3, the truck The shelf sections I3 comprise opposed pairs ofduplicate right and left-hand upright members 25 and 26, each of whichis provided with a plurality of stepped dado cuts 21 and adjoininggrooves 28. It will be seen that while the cuts and grooves are at rightangles to each other, they are inclined to the sides and ends of theuprights 25. The lower ends of the uprights are cut at an angle to theside edges, so that, when the parts are positioned on the deck, theyface inwardly toward each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. With thisconstruction, the shelves are inclined with respect to the verticaltransverse center plane of the truck as a whole, thereby rendering thebooks readily accessible. It will also be observed that the taperingupper faces of the anchor blocks 2| are at such an angle as to coincidewith the bottom edge of the lowermost dado cut 21 on each side panel 25and 26.

In assembly, pairs of uprights 25 and 26 are positioned on oppositesides of the deck, adja-' cent the blocks 2!, and the aligned grooves 28then receive back boards 29, while the dados 21 are fitted with shelves3|. These parts may be secured by glue and finishing nails 32 which areentered from the outer faces of the uprights. If desired, of course, theparts just described may be assembled as a unit, and later mounted uponthe base H in an obvious manner. The backs of the shelves 3! maymoreover be formed with scallops 33 so as to preclude the collection ofdust and dirt in the angle between the shelves and backboards. The spacebetween the lowermost shelves and the deck may also be faced with amolding strip 35, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The upright members 25 and 23 are next provided with exterior facingpanels 35, of less height but slightly greater Width than the uprights,whose lower ends abut the base II and whose upper ends may terminateadjacent the uppermost shelf 3i. These panels are also so made that theymay be positioned on either side of the truck, in the same manner as theuprights 25 and 26. A cross plate 36 is then positioned above the panels35 and between the uprights, and is advantageously provided withextending portions 31 formed with scrolls 3B which may be gripped by thehand to move-the truck around the library. These pieces are secured byscrews 39, entered from the inner or blind side of the uprights 25 and26, so that the exterior of the truck may be finished as desired topresent an attractive appearance. Cross member 36 is secured to bothuprights 25 and 26 and cooperates with them, panels 35 and platform I!in forming a substantially rigid and strong truck construction.

It will be seen that by inclining the uprights 25 and 26 toward thevertical center of the truck, there is not only gained the advantage ofinclined shelving to facilitate observation identification of and accessto any book, but also that the lower shelves are as readily accessibleas the uppermost, due to the offsetting arrangement obtained. Inasmuchas the shelves open toward the ends of the truck, they are available asthe truck is towed or pushed through narrow passageways ccmlmonly foundin the stackrooms of libraries, and the truck may therefore be takendirectly to the storage shelf for loading or unloading. The constructionspecified is adequate to render the truck durable under the loads it isintended to carry, and it will be observed that by providing as far aspossible for matched and interchangeable parts, the cost of manufacturemay be held to a minimum. As the truck is pushed and pulled throughmanual force applied to extensions 31' stresses are equalized throughthe relatively inclined upright members and 26 and panels 35.

By having the uprights 25 and 26 spaced apart in their relative inclinedrelation, a transversely extending compartment is formed on the booktruck between the uprights for receiving books of a size too large to beplaced on the shelves. The backs 29 for the central shelves support thebooks in this compartment from opposite end portions of the truck.

Long articles such as crnaps in rolled form and the like, may beinserted between the upper shelf backs into the compartment in thecenter of the truck from the top for support on the platform. The crossplates will retain the articles in position on the truck while beingtransported to their storage place.

The book truck herein disclosed has the advantage of providing a maximumamount of book filing space thereon in which the majority of books arearranged so the titles are readable and the books are removable from theends of the truck, making the truck conveniently useful in narrow stackaisles.

The invention claimed is:

l. A book truck comprising a rectangular base structure comprising ajoined deck panel, anchor blocks secured at the corners of the panel,pairs of uprights connected to said anchor blocks on either side of thebase structure and extending upwardly from the deck and inwardly towardthe central transverse vertical plane therethrough, shelves extendingtransversely of the deck, between and secured to opposite uprights, saidshelves being inclined toward said vertical plane and being oifsettoward said plane from the bottom to the top of the uprights, backboardsextending between and secured to opposite uprights along the adjacentinner edges thereof and abutting said shelves at substantially rightangles, facing panels secured to the outer faces of the uprights, andlongitudinally extending cross plates extending between and connectingthe uprights in each pair at the tops thereof and pro- J'ecting beyondthe outer edges of said uprights.

2. A book truck comprising a rectangular base structure including a deckhaving interchangeable sides and end pieces, interchangeable anchorblocks mounted on the corners of the deck, upright members secured toand extending upwardly and inwardly from the anchor blocks, said uprightmembers being formed as right and left-hand members on each side andbeing interchangeable between the sides, dados cut in said uprightmemtending above the base structure, each of said upright membersextending from the ends of the base structure inwardly toward thevertical transverse plane of the truck, shelves secured to and extendingbetween the upright members transversely of the truck and being inclinedinwardly toward said plane, backboards secured to and extending betweenthe upright members alongthe rear edges of the shelves and beingpositioned substantially at right angles thereto, said shelves beingformed with scalloped openings adjacent said rear edges, panels mountedon the outer surfaces of the upright members, and cross plates extendingbetween the upright members above the panels on each side, said crossplates extending beyond the upright members and being formed on theirextending portions to provide hand grips for moving the truck, theopenings of said shelves facing outwardly toward the ends of the truckwhereby books on said shelves are accessible from the ends of the truckwhen the sides are obstructed.

4. A book truck comprising a long narrow rectangular platform, wheelssupporting said platform for free movement, pairs of uprights mounted onopposite sides of said platform at opposite ends, inclining upwardlyfrom the ends of the platform toward the central transverse verticalplane therethrough and having the upper ends terminating in spacedrelation, a plurality of shelves extending transversely between andrigidly secured to the uprights at oppositeends and opening at the endsof the truck, and a pair of cross plates extending longitudinally ofsaid truck at opposite sides having inner fiat faces intermediate theextremities engaged with the outer faces of said uprights transverselyof the upper portions and rigidly secured thereto, said cross platesextending across the gap between the upper ends of said uprights at eachside of said truck and having free ends projecting in longitudinalrelation beyond said uprights at the ends of said truck.

FREMONT RIDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

